9mm vs 10mm — Best for Bear Defense?
- Thread starter Racer X
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Bear? I'll take the.....
I'll take the 10mm. Brown or Grizzly? DEFINITELY the 10mm, if not bigger.
I'll take the 10mm. Brown or Grizzly? DEFINITELY the 10mm, if not bigger.
Kind of quietens all of the "it will bounce right off the skull" comments huh? Granted this is still a simulation. And at the right angle, you can make a bullet bounce off a plastic yard sign (I have done it). So as in real estate, a shot is all about location, location, and angle of entry. 
Rosewood
Rosewood
Neither, .44 Magnum
For bear the 9 and 10 are both marginal so whichever you shoot better is your best bet. My choice would be an 870 with slugs and if not that I will defer to my 500 magnum.
I would say 9x19 is marginal when it comes to black bears and not adequate for any larger species of bear. 10mm Auto would be a much better choice for any bear defense, but still less capable than 41 or 44 Magnum.
Just like people bears can be of various sizes within breeds/species. Also of varying temperament even if cubs aren't part of the problem. The local black bears are fluffy, but generally about man size. Shot placement, shot placement and sufficient penetration are your friends.
If we're talking grizzly, I think I'd avoid handguns.
If we're talking grizzly, I think I'd avoid handguns.
Neither. I’ve seen Bear shake off much much larger calibers. Even though it was temporary, they still had enough time to eat you.
Some say the universe is limitless. I know for a fact from my time here, the Bear Thread and the forms it may take, are indeed limitless.
Empe
Member
I'd want something heavier than either the 9mm or 10mm ...if it were for defense against bear .
What is the best gun oil to use?
You don't know.......
....if you can make a brain shot at a charging bear; and you probably WON'T. So for me the bigger gun the better. After all, we aren't all Bella Twin, you know.
....if you can make a brain shot at a charging bear; and you probably WON'T. So for me the bigger gun the better. After all, we aren't all Bella Twin, you know.
SJC3081
Member
It was a 22long not rifle
Alk8944
US Veteran
If I were to choose any 9 mm weapon for bear defense it would be at the very least a rifle in either .35 Remington or .358 Winchester. Preferably a .35 Whelen, or possibly a 9x57 Mauser.
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Call in air support.
robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
For anything the size of an adult bear a 9mm is, at best, marginal and probably sub-marginal. A properly loaded 10mm is in the same general range as a .41 magnum and unless you are going up against a large polar bear it would probably do the job if you can hit with it. Bears are a lot "thicker" than a human and have heavy bones. Getting into a spot that will shut a bear down quickly with a 9 mm is a questionable endeavor.
Oldengineer
SWCA Member
The friends and family in Alaska carry a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs and a Glock 20 (10mm) loaded with buffalo bore hard cast bullets — when going fishing . The 15 round Glock is thought of as backup and carried across the chest. A 9mm would be considered a bad joke.
